Gunter and asked him, with
significant looks and laughs, what time o' day it was.

At first Gunter replied in his wonted surly manner; but at last, feeling
that the best way would be to put a bold face on the matter, he said
with an off-hand laugh--

"Herring thinks he's made a wonderful discovery, but surely there's
nothing very strange in a man buyin' a little watch for his sweetheart."

"You don't mean to say that _you_ have a sweetheart do you?" said a
youth of about seventeen, who had a tendency to be what is styled
cheeky.

Gunter turned on him with contempt. "Well, now," he replied, "if I had
a smooth baby-face like yours I would _not_ say as I had, but bein' a
man, you see, I may ventur' to say that I have."

"Come, Gunter, you're too hard on 'im," cried Spivin; "I don't believe
you've bought a watch for her at all; at least if you have, it must be a
pewter one."

Thus taunted, Gunter resolved to carry out the bold line of action.
"What d'ee call that?" he cried, pulling out the watch and holding it up
to view.

Captain Bream chanced to be an amused witness of this little scene, but
his expression changed to one of amazement when he beheld the peculiar
and unmistakable watch which, years before, he had given to Ruth
Dotropy's father. Recovering himself quickly he stepped forward.

"A very pretty little thing," he said, "and looks uncommonly like
silver. Let me see it."

He held out his hand, and Gunter gave it to him without the slightest
suspicion, of course, that he knew anything about it. "Yes, undoubtedly
it is silver, and a very curious style of article too," continued the
captain in a low off-hand tone. "You've no objection to my taking it to
the cabin to look at it more carefully?"

Of course Gunter had no objection, though a sensation of uneasiness
arose within him, especially when Captain Bream asked him to go below
with him, and whispered to Joe Davidson in a low tone, as he passed him,
to shut the cabin skylight.

No sooner were they below, with the cabin-door shut, than the captain
looked steadily in the man's face, and said--

"Gunter, you stole this watch from a young lady in Yarmouth."

An electric shock could not have more effectually stunned the convicted
fisherman. He gazed at the captain in speechless surprise. Then his
fists clenched, a rush of blood came to his face, and a fierce oath rose
to his white lips as he prepared to deny the charge.

"Stop!" said the captain